Sheldon Adelson Swoops in to Rescue Gingrich (and Maybe Romney, Too)

By Michael Crowley, Feb 14, 2012 — According to CNN, Newt Gingrich’s candidacy is getting some CPR in the form of another $10 million donation to his super PAC from the billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, whose family has already pumped $10 million into the group. The money won’t arrive a moment too early for Newt. As Bloomberg noted Friday morning, Gingrich is more or less out of money. His campaign has gone dark on the airwaves, which is campaign death. (I broadcast, therefore I am.) The fare at his events has been reduced to “free water and coffee.” At least he isn’t charging for the water!. . . .

But won’t much of that $10 million just go into negative attacks against Romney, who, it’s possible, can’t sustain much more damage before collapsing entirely himself? That’s not clear. Adelson was not thrilled with the Mitt-bashing his money funded in South Carolina, and it’s possible that he’s giving on the condition that Gingrich’s camp doesn’t disembowel Romney. AsI wroterecently, Adelson likes Romney fine, and is comfortable with the idea of a Romney White House. His support for Gingrich has been a matter of friendship, not anti-Romneyism. And to hear the Wall Street Journal tell it, it’s Santorum whom Adelson thinks should not be the nominee. . . .